Who gave you your sign name? - Page 4

sagmitasm · 10-27-2009, 11:16 PM

Sorry for so many questions, but do people have a different name sign for each group of friends that they have or each different Deaf Community they get involved in?

Berry · 10-27-2009, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

Thank you very much for your answer. Normally, I would use the term "Native American", but used Indian because of your statement about being a COWI.

I am 64 years old. For most of my life there was only one kind of Indian in America. Then a large enough segment of the population from India grew up in the U.S. to confuse the issue. For a while the term American Indian was used but many objected to that as "We are not the property of America."

I personally have a problem with "Native America" because I grew up in a time when whites used the word native as a synonym for "savage" or "heathen", all of which they called Indians.

We moved around a lot. In one place where tensions between Indians and whites were particularly high some of the white children had a nonverbal sign name for me meaning "halfbreed" -- They spit at me.

souggy · 10-28-2009, 02:23 AM

Hence...

First Nations or aboriginals.

Canadians prefer to use aboriginals to include the Inuits and Metis (part French, part native.)

dogmom · 10-28-2009, 08:57 AM

I may ask -what you like to be named? Many people I've met don't like "Native American", but don't mind "Native American Indian", or because they just grew up with "American Indian" or "Indian", don't mind that. Other First Nations individuals I've met don't mind or prefer just "Native American". I sometimes do use "Native", also do "First Nations", "First People" or aboriginal....also like to use say actual nation <Blackfeet, Ho Chunk, Dine...> or tribe < Apache, Peqout, Salish....> because there is great tendency in U.S. to lump everybody together as "Native American", "Native American culture", "Native American spirituality", which is not the case, there are many cultures, many religions.
also I wonder if the term of preference is related to generational....

Bottesini · 10-28-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogmom

I may ask -what you like to be named? Many people I've met don't like "Native American", but don't mind "Native American Indian", or because they just grew up with "American Indian" or "Indian", don't mind that. Other First Nations individuals I've met don't mind or prefer just "Native American". I sometimes do use "Native", also do "First Nations", "First People" or aboriginal....also like to use say actual nation <Blackfeet, Ho Chunk, Dine...> or tribe < Apache, Peqout, Salish....> because there is great tendency in U.S. to lump everybody together as "Native American", "Native American culture", "Native American spirituality", which is not the case, there are many cultures, many religions.
also I wonder if the term of preference is related to generational....

Cree Militant is Bebonang, I love that!

dogmom · 10-28-2009, 11:18 AM

oh, agree

Bebonang · 10-29-2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottesini

Cree Militant is Bebonang, I love that!

, Botts. Me, too. As for the names of what we wanted to be call. Many tribes or First Nations people have different ways to be called Aboriginal or Indian or Native American. Most of us really want to be called by our tribal (band) name. Like for me, I would prefer to be call Cree but I am also part of Cherokee (I do not have very much history from my father, but very strong in Cree history and traditional ways from family in Canada which is the reason why I moved up here to find my roots). My husband is Ojibwe and he can be call as Anishabwe (I hope I got that spell right). This is who I am. Yah, right on!

jillio · 10-30-2009, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berry

I am 64 years old. For most of my life there was only one kind of Indian in America. Then a large enough segment of the population from India grew up in the U.S. to confuse the issue. For a while the term American Indian was used but many objected to that as "We are not the property of America."

I personally have a problem with "Native America" because I grew up in a time when whites used the word native as a synonym for "savage" or "heathen", all of which they called Indians.

We moved around a lot. In one place where tensions between Indians and whites were particularly high some of the white children had a nonverbal sign name for me meaning "halfbreed" -- They spit at me.

How horrid!

jillio · 10-30-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souggy

Hence...

First Nations or aboriginals.

Canadians prefer to use aboriginals to include the Inuits and Metis (part French, part native.)

Many people assign a negative connotation to "aboriginal" as well. Equate it with "uncivilized" or "backward".

~*Kaelei*~ · 10-30-2009, 03:04 AM

My best friend Christina has given me a sign KL when I was in 6th grade... and ever since, I've been using KL for my sign name but then when I entered into HS, my deaf friends has changed it to KLW as there's another deaf girl that has same name as I do... but everyone knows my last name easily so they use W at the end to show which one of us they're talking about. So I use KLW as my sign name.

Buffalo · 10-30-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berry

Navajos for sure. I have no Navajo blood, it is Cherokee, Choctaw, and possibly Comanche, but someone in the group married a Navajo, there were several around. I was influenced by their ideas at an early age. One thing that impressed me was they were the only ones who actually spoke their own language. The rest spoke English, many spoke Spanish, and a few spoke French. But on the whole white rules and white culture had erased the native languages of the other groups.

Cherokees don't speak Cherokee language? I understand there is a written Cherokee language (courtesy of Sequoyah). There are websites that are devoted to teaching you to speak that language.

Bebonang · 10-30-2009, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffalo

Cherokees don't speak Cherokee language? I understand there is a written Cherokee language (courtesy of Sequoyah). There are websites that are devoted to teaching you to speak that language.

That is very true, Cherokee language such as Sequoyah can be learn if the person is interest in speaking or writing the Sequoyah language of Cherokee. Here in our First Nation reserve, the Ojibwe (Anishabwe) are struggling to learn to speak their language as it is almost ready to fade away from our culture. So they have devised a way to keep their language by taping the elders to speak (put them in film) about their life in Ojibwe language. They also have a written Ojibwe language too, so that helps the young people learn how to speak and write in their language (they learn in elementary and high school now). So it is not out of the wood yet.

souggy · 10-30-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillio

Many people assign a negative connotation to "aboriginal" as well. Equate it with "uncivilized" or "backward".

Thing is, I never seen a Canadian use it in a crude form. I have seen people use "Indian" "Native" in bad forms, but not "aboriginal" or "First Nations." Racism against the First Nations is heavy in Edmonton... although the fact that [the most visible ones] usually get drunk or use needles near the LRT isn't really helpful for their "image."

My first place, alone, was in a bad community of drug addicts, mostly of "native" descendants. I say "native" because that all I ever heard about that particular crowd; the respectful ones are called "aboriginals." Sad. I have huge respect for them in high school, but to see them reinforcing their own stereotypes in the neighbourhood where I got my first place was sad.

coolgirlspyer90 · 10-30-2009, 11:05 PM

my old interpreter gave me a sign name when i was in kindergarten. You know how to sign working right? well make a "K" and sign it as you would sign working. the reason why my interpreter gave me that sign name is because i'm always a hard worker. Which is true because I'm in high school, I'm tutoring high school kids for ASL, and i'm in a marching band and will be in World drumline in the end of november [i think]

Berry · 10-31-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffalo

Cherokees don't speak Cherokee language? I understand there is a written Cherokee language (courtesy of Sequoyah). There are websites that are devoted to teaching you to speak that language.

The schools on the reservations were run by whites, who insisted the children attend, and forbid the use of any language except English. Just as, when I was a child, sign language was forbidden at school, and my CODA friend and I were suspended for using it. Many children grew up ashamed of their parents language and never learned to speak it or lost it over the years. As recently as 2005 a student in Kansas was suspended for speaking Spanish in school.

I am going to start a new thread related to this.

KristinaB · 10-31-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDNanna

Back in the day, and I mean waaay back in the day, I assisted midwives. (bear with me here) hahaa! There was a young Mexican woman who gave birth to her first sweet little girl. Since this was the first child, and was a citizen, the family wanted to give her a US name. An auntie came by with a US dictionary. They studied that book a loooong time. Finally - PAH! No joke...against all good advice, would not listen to anyone, they named that baby ... Vagina. No joke. True.

That reminds me of twim brother I knew back in the 80's. They were in their 80's at the time. I don't know where the minds of the parent were when they were named. Anal & Hymen Vaginellis. True story! They married twin sisters Ann and Helen.

Bebonang · 11-01-2009, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristinaB

That reminds me of twim brother I knew back in the 80's. They were in their 80's at the time. I don't know where the minds of the parent were when they were named. Anal & Hymen Vaginellis. True story! They married twin sisters Ann and Helen.

It is really interesting when they tried to find a names for their babies from the US baby book but came up with dictionary words instead of names. I will never understand why parents do that.

The twins must be very embarrassing themselves over their names.

Topgun · 11-03-2009, 02:27 AM

Make a shape of a d at your forehead and shoot it straight out away form your forehead and open your hands at the sametime to sign (straight.) the reason for this is because my last name is said the same way as straight.

It's was given to me by Valentine Wojton III

Bottesini · 11-03-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topgun

Make a shape of a d at your forehead and shoot it straight out away form your forehead and open your hands at the sametime to sign (straight.) the reason for this is because my last name is said the same way as straight.

It's was given to me by Valentine Wojton III

That's really nice, but what does it have to do with softball??

jillio · 11-03-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souggy

Thing is, I never seen a Canadian use it in a crude form. I have seen people use "Indian" "Native" in bad forms, but not "aboriginal" or "First Nations." Racism against the First Nations is heavy in Edmonton... although the fact that [the most visible ones] usually get drunk or use needles near the LRT isn't really helpful for their "image."

My first place, alone, was in a bad community of drug addicts, mostly of "native" descendants. I say "native" because that all I ever heard about that particular crowd; the respectful ones are called "aboriginals." Sad. I have huge respect for them in high school, but to see them reinforcing their own stereotypes in the neighbourhood where I got my first place was sad.

That is very interesting. It is not that way in the parts of the U.S. that I am familiar with. Not to say it is not that way in all parts, as I have not spent significant time in all parts.

deafskeptic · 11-03-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berry

The schools on the reservations were run by whites, who insisted the children attend, and forbid the use of any language except English. Just as, when I was a child, sign language was forbidden at school, and my CODA friend and I were suspended for using it. Many children grew up ashamed of their parents language and never learned to speak it or lost it over the years. As recently as 2005 a student in Kansas was suspended for speaking Spanish in school.

I am going to start a new thread related to this.

I remember some American indians on a forum that i used to belong to mentioning that my oral upbringing was similar to what they went tru when I mentioned it to them. I must say much of what they went tru was much more brutal than what deaf went tru but it's still cultural genocide no matter what means you use.

Bebonang · 11-03-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deafskeptic

I remember some American indians on a forum that i used to belong to mentioning that my oral upbringing was similar to what they went tru when I mentioned it to them. I must say much of what they went tru was much more brutal than what deaf went tru but it's still cultural genocide no matter what means you use.

That is very true and it is all about cultural genocide. Same with our Deaf culture which the Audists tried to destroy so that we must be forced to suffered to learn to lipread and speech. They don't know how to leave us alone the way we are. Geez.

Topgun · 11-03-2009, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottesini

That's really nice, but what does it have to do with softball??

Did I happen to say pitch it or toss it? I didn't think so. besides you do not hold softball up to your head and throw it; clearly that's baseball....

It matches who I am.. I am a straight up guy who speaks his mind and leaves nothing out.

Bottesini · 11-03-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topgun

Did I happen to say pitch it or toss it? I didn't think so. besides you do not hold softball up to your head and throw it; clearly that's baseball....

It matches who I am.. I am a straight up guy who speaks his mind and leaves nothing out.

No. I just wondered why you said a who gave it to you because of his position in sports.

It didn't seem like it made sense. That is why I was curious.

Topgun · 11-04-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottesini

No. I just wondered why you said a who gave it to you because of his position in sports.

It didn't seem like it made sense. That is why I was curious.

Yes, I understand that. It's just that I am and I always have been straight with my answers and thoughts. So the name was given to me as a personality treat as being (forward.)

dawnrinchicago · 11-06-2009, 09:58 AM

I found this thread via Google and apologize if it is inappropriate for a hearing person to ask a question on this board.

I am teaching sign language to my son Ben, who is 2 years 2 months. He has a severe expressive language delay and can speak only a few consonants (b/d/g/m) without any vowel variation. He also has motor planning difficulties and cannot make most letter signs. Even his regular signs are hard to read sometimes, with "cracker" and "love" looking the same.

Since it looks like we will be signing for at least a few years, I would like to give him some sign names for some of the people in our family (all hearing). For instance, he cannot make the sign for "sister," but I could teach him a modified "R" hand combined with "beautiful" or "smart." Also, since he doesn't understand pronouns yet, I could teach him to sign "Ben" as a "B" hand above his head for tall (he's projected to be 6'8").

I realize that a hearing person teaching a hearing person a sign name doesn't directly involve the deaf community, but since we are often out in public, I don't want to offend anyone. So, it is moderately acceptable for me to give sign names when the deaf community is not involved? Or is it tantamount to a Caucasian appearing in blackface?

Thank you for your help,
Dawn

KristinaB · 11-06-2009, 11:50 AM

I don't really have a sign name. I was given one by CrzyMeg on AD, but I can't remember it. I guess I will just wait until I can get together with other deaf in this area. I haven't found the time to get to the group yet. They have a clubhouse and are there daily . they have Texas Hold-em and Bingo and Fingo each night. Dances monthly and all kinds of things.

DeafDoc1 · 11-06-2009, 11:53 AM

Welcome to AllDeaf, Dawn. We welcome hearing people, all users of sign language, and friends of the community. Kudos to you for providing Ben any and all means of communicating. I believe it's appropriate for a parent to assign name signs to their family; a 2 year old cannot be expected to spell names and needs to identify them somehow. I don't find it insulting or improper at all. However, I'm no expert. Just sharing my humble opinion.

Bottesini · 11-06-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeafDoc1

Welcome to AllDeaf, Dawn. We welcome hearing people, all users of sign language, and friends of the community. Kudos to you for providing Ben any and all means of communicating. I believe it's appropriate for a parent to assign name signs to their family; a 2 year old cannot be expected to spell names and needs to identify them somehow. I don't find it insulting or improper at all. However, I'm no expert. Just sharing my humble opinion.

I didn't want to say anything, but if she has him use that B for himself, will he get it on the top of his head?

Any lower and he will be calling himself "bastard."

Turn it wrong on top and it will look like he is saying "shark."

dawnrinchicago · 11-06-2009, 03:03 PM

Thanks, DeafDoc1!

And thanks, Bottesini! I knew about shark, but I had to look up bastard. Pretty funny to think about though -- an ignorant mom naming her son Bastard! Hilarious!

I'll have him keep it above his head, not touching his face.

Thanks for the heads-up and the chuckle!

Dawn

10-27-2009, 11:16 PM	#91 (permalink)
sagmitasm Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	Sorry for so many questions, but do people have a different name sign for each group of friends that they have or each different Deaf Community they get involved in? __________________ Meilleur taux prets personnels \| Simulation calcul prets personnels en ligne \| taux prets personnels

10-28-2009, 02:23 AM	#93 (permalink)
souggy Ace Attorney Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 2,394	Hence... First Nations or aboriginals. Canadians prefer to use aboriginals to include the Inuits and Metis (part French, part native.) __________________ Souggy's Blog Warning! Contains skewed comments & inane ramblings. May cause spontaneous human combustion

10-30-2009, 03:04 AM	#100 (permalink)
~Kaelei~ Wishing Upon A Star Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Vancouver, Washington Posts: 1,354	My best friend Christina has given me a sign KL when I was in 6th grade... and ever since, I've been using KL for my sign name but then when I entered into HS, my deaf friends has changed it to KLW as there's another deaf girl that has same name as I do... but everyone knows my last name easily so they use W at the end to show which one of us they're talking about. So I use KLW as my sign name. __________________

10-30-2009, 11:05 PM	#104 (permalink)
coolgirlspyer90 I'm all about ~MuSiC~ Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 861	my old interpreter gave me a sign name when i was in kindergarten. You know how to sign working right? well make a "K" and sign it as you would sign working. the reason why my interpreter gave me that sign name is because i'm always a hard worker. Which is true because I'm in high school, I'm tutoring high school kids for ASL, and i'm in a marching band and will be in World drumline in the end of november [i think] __________________ A member of: The Centerville Jazz Band Currently Plays: Marimba First: Person to be deaf in the Centerville Jazz Band. Show theme: Icon, the Art of Elvis Presley. Our Motto: Taking Care of Business [since 1854]

11-06-2009, 11:50 AM	#117 (permalink)
KristinaB Loving Life!! Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sunny WPB, FL Posts: 674	I don't really have a sign name. I was given one by CrzyMeg on AD, but I can't remember it. I guess I will just wait until I can get together with other deaf in this area. I haven't found the time to get to the group yet. They have a clubhouse and are there daily . they have Texas Hold-em and Bingo and Fingo each night. Dances monthly and all kinds of things. __________________ KRISTINAB

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10-28-2009, 08:57 AM	#94 (permalink)
dogmom Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,469	I may ask -what you like to be named? Many people I've met don't like "Native American", but don't mind "Native American Indian", or because they just grew up with "American Indian" or "Indian", don't mind that. Other First Nations individuals I've met don't mind or prefer just "Native American". I sometimes do use "Native", also do "First Nations", "First People" or aboriginal....also like to use say actual nation <Blackfeet, Ho Chunk, Dine...> or tribe < Apache, Peqout, Salish....> because there is great tendency in U.S. to lump everybody together as "Native American", "Native American culture", "Native American spirituality", which is not the case, there are many cultures, many religions. also I wonder if the term of preference is related to generational....

10-28-2009, 11:18 AM	#96 (permalink)
dogmom Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,469	oh, agree

11-03-2009, 02:27 AM	#108 (permalink)
Topgun Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: In Northern Cambria, Pa. Posts: 53	Make a shape of a d at your forehead and shoot it straight out away form your forehead and open your hands at the sametime to sign (straight.) the reason for this is because my last name is said the same way as straight. It's was given to me by Valentine Wojton III

11-06-2009, 09:58 AM	#116 (permalink)
dawnrinchicago Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	I found this thread via Google and apologize if it is inappropriate for a hearing person to ask a question on this board. I am teaching sign language to my son Ben, who is 2 years 2 months. He has a severe expressive language delay and can speak only a few consonants (b/d/g/m) without any vowel variation. He also has motor planning difficulties and cannot make most letter signs. Even his regular signs are hard to read sometimes, with "cracker" and "love" looking the same. Since it looks like we will be signing for at least a few years, I would like to give him some sign names for some of the people in our family (all hearing). For instance, he cannot make the sign for "sister," but I could teach him a modified "R" hand combined with "beautiful" or "smart." Also, since he doesn't understand pronouns yet, I could teach him to sign "Ben" as a "B" hand above his head for tall (he's projected to be 6'8"). I realize that a hearing person teaching a hearing person a sign name doesn't directly involve the deaf community, but since we are often out in public, I don't want to offend anyone. So, it is moderately acceptable for me to give sign names when the deaf community is not involved? Or is it tantamount to a Caucasian appearing in blackface? Thank you for your help, Dawn

11-06-2009, 11:53 AM	#118 (permalink)
DeafDoc1 Buckeyes beat MI AGAIN! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,020	Welcome to AllDeaf, Dawn. We welcome hearing people, all users of sign language, and friends of the community. Kudos to you for providing Ben any and all means of communicating. I believe it's appropriate for a parent to assign name signs to their family; a 2 year old cannot be expected to spell names and needs to identify them somehow. I don't find it insulting or improper at all. However, I'm no expert. Just sharing my humble opinion. __________________ What's up, Doc?

11-06-2009, 03:03 PM	#120 (permalink)
dawnrinchicago Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	Thanks, DeafDoc1! And thanks, Bottesini! I knew about shark, but I had to look up bastard. Pretty funny to think about though -- an ignorant mom naming her son Bastard! Hilarious! I'll have him keep it above his head, not touching his face. Thanks for the heads-up and the chuckle! Dawn

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